This invention relates to a method for preparing a high grain content hot cereal. More particularly, this invention relates to a method for quickly and conveniently preparing a hot high grain content cereal.
It is the objective of the present invention to prepare a natural hot cereal having a high grain content. The hot cereal will consist primarily of natural grains. It is considered to be very time-consuming to prepare hot cereals. Also, hot cereal, when cooked at home, usually is prepared in more than a single-serving size. Therefore, for the reason that in the usual case of home preparation the preparation of a hot cereal is time-consuming, the popularity of hot cereals for breakfast has decreased. In contrast, cold cereals can be quickly prepared and consumed. Cold cereals can also be easily and readily prepared in single-serving sizes. Consequently, cold cereals have become much more popular. It is the intention here to describe a method which can be used to prepare single-sized servings of hot cereal quickly and easily.
The hot cereal compositions that are to be prepared consist primarily of natural grains. Some sugar can be added for the purpose of forming cereal agglomerates. In addition, flavorants and other materials can be present. The cereal is packaged in single-serving sized containers for the convenience of the consumer. The consumer, in order to prepare one of the cereals, opens the container, adds a liquid such as milk or water, and then heats the cereal in an oven, which is preferably a microwave oven. The cereal is quickly heated and rehydrated. The cereal is then ready for consumption.
The present cereal is preferably packaged in a container which can be inserted into a microwave oven. The cereal can be consumed from the same container. The objective is to provide sufficient convenience to induce the consumer to add hot cereals to his diet.
The present hot cereal composition is essentially a precooked cereal which, after cooking, is dried, formed into flakes and, optionally, agglomerated. The cereal can be prepared for eating in either an unagglomerated or agglomerated form. However, when the cereal is to be packaged and to undergo storage and handling, it is preferred that the cereal be in the form of agglomerates. The reason is that during handling the flakes will break down to smaller particles and to a powder. On the other hand, the agglomerates can withstand handling and when the package is opened there are visually particles of a cereal which are similar in shape and size to the original grains.
The cereal is colored, flavored and texturized through the use of an enzyme-treated grain. Any grain can be used. These include wheat, oats, corn, rye, rice, barley and mixtures of these grains. Grain flours can also be used. Enzymes are selected that will hydrolyze the starch of the grain and produce dextrins, glucose and fructose. The enzyme treatment, in conjunction with thermal processing steps, will also produce solids that have a nutty flavor. This will enhance the flavor of the grain that is to be the major component of the cereal. The treatment will also enhance the texture of the cereal.
A process for preparing an all grain enzyme-saccharified cereal is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,040. This process involves saccharifying an endosperm fraction to form a syrup containing soluble saccharides and adding to the saccharified endosperm a minor amount of a matrix-forming ingredient which is a modified bran material or a toasted ground germ. This results in the formation of a cereal dough which is converted to flakes. The flakes contain about 15 percent by weight of the matrix grain with the remainder being saccharified endosperm (optionally some unsaccharified endosperm) and water. This is a minor amount of matrix grain. However, if a large amount of matrix grain were used, a cereal dough, which is an objective of the invention, would not be formed.